My free fingerless mitts knitting pattern features the twin leaf lace stitch and uses DK or two strands of fingering weight yarn, and includes 4 mitten sizes for ladies.
Table of Contents
The Free Mittens Knitting Pattern
Twin Leaf Cabin Fingerless Mitts
The Twin Leaf Cabin fingerless mitts knitting pattern has a delicate twin-leaf panel framed by simple stockinette stitches. The botanical detail gives these knitted mittens a quiet woodland character, inspired by the natural beauty surrounding my New Hampshire home.
Designed for ladies in four sizes, the mitts keep your hands covered while leaving your fingers free to knit, type, read, or hold a warm cup. Whether made with doubled fingering-weight yarn or a single strand of DK, they are a practical layer for cooler days and a thoughtful handmade gift.
How to Knit Fingerless Mitts
This fingerless mitts knitting pattern is worked seamlessly in the round using DPNs, a small circular needle, or the magic loop method. The pattern uses US 1.5 and US 3 knitting needles, with a choice of fingering-weight yarn held double or DK yarn held single.
Simple stockinette stitches frame an eight-round leaf lace repeat, allowing the botanical design to stand out. Each mitten is knitted separately, with individual instructions for the right and left hands and a carefully shaped thumb gusset. Four sizes for ladies cover hand circumferences from 6.5 to 10 inches.
Free Knitting Pattern: Twin Leaf Cabin Mitts
Pattern Information:
YARN
Fingering wt yarn held double: One skein of any heavy lace weight or light fingering wt yarn.
The total yardage needed will be approximately double the estimated yardage for a single strand.
If you’d rather use a single strand of fingering wt yarn (held single), you’ll need a bit more yardage and your fabric will be lighter and drapier.
Sample used: Shelridge Yarns, Touch Fine (80% SW Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon), color “Oyster”.
Estimated yardage for fingering wt yarn held single:
- S: 275 yds (251 meters)
- M: 340 yds (311 meters)
- L: 380 yds (347 meters)
- XL: 415 yds (379 meters)
DK wt yarn substitution: You can easily substitute with DK wt yarn held single. Your fabric will be denser and will have less drape.
Estimated yardage for DK wt yarn held single:
- S: 210 yds (192 meters)
- M: 260 yds (238 meters)
- L: 290 yds (265 meters)
- XL: 320 yds (293 meters)
Choose a soft DK yarn with good st definition to show off the lace detail.
NEEDLES:
US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles for knitting in the rnd *
US 3 / 3.25 mm needles for knitting in the rnd *
*Use your preferred method: DPNs, 9″ / 23 cm circular, or long circular for magic loop.
GAUGE
28 sts x 40 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in stockinette st using fingering wt yarn held double, blocked.
Note: This gauge may feel dense, especially when using yarn held double. Be sure to swatch and adjust needle size as needed.
SIZES
S (M, L, XL) = 6.5-7″ (16.5-17.75 cm) [7.5-8″, (19-20.25 cm), 8.5-9″ (21.5-22.75 cm), 9.5-10″ (24-25.5 cm)]
Stitch Counts by Size:
| Size | Hand Circumference | Cast-On Stitches | Lace Stitches | Stockinette Stitches |
| S | 6.5-7” (16.5-17.75 cm) | 40 | 24 | 16 |
| M | 7.5-8” (19-20.25 cm) | 46 | 24 | 22 |
| L | 8.5-9” (21.5-22.75 cm) | 52 | 24 | 28 |
| XL | 9.5-10” (24-25.5 cm) | 58 | 24 | 34 |
NOTIONS
- 2 st markers (one for halfway point and one for the thumb gusset increases)
- 1 BOR marker
ABBREVIATIONS
- BO = bind off
- BOR = beginning of round
- CO = cast on
- inc = increase
- k = knit
- k3tog = K 3 sts together
- m = marker
- M1L = make one left
- M1R = make one right
- pm = place marker
- p = purl
- rep = repeat
- rnd(s) = round(s)
- SK2P = slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped
st over - sm = slip marker
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- tbl = through back loop
- wt = weight
- yo = yarn over
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Feel free to sell your finished shawls made from this pattern, however, please do not copy, alter, or sell the pattern itself. For each of your listings, you must include the following: “Pattern provided by Judy Jewell of The Autumn Acorn at http://www.theautumnacorn.etsy.com“.
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Let’s Begin The Free Mittens Knit Pattern
TWIN LEAF LACE PATTERN
– (multiple of 24 lace sts)
Rnd 1: K10, p2, k12
Rnd 2: K6, K3tog, yo, k1, yo, p2, yo, k1, yo, sk2p, k8.
Rnd 3: Rep Rnd 1.
Rnd 4: K4, k3tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, p2, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, sk2p, k6.
Rnd 5: Rep Rnd 1.
Rnd 6: K2, k3tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, sk2p, k4.
Rnd 7: Rep Rnd 1.
Rnd 8: K3tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, p2, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, sk2p, k2.
RIGHT MITT
With US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles.
CO 40 (46, 52, 58) sts for sizes S (M, L, XL). Join to k in the rnd. Place BOR marker.
Rt Mitt Bottom Cuff:
*K1tbl, p1; rep from * around. Rep this rnd a total of 12 times.
P 2 rnds.
Switch to US 3 / 3.25 mm needles.
K 7 rnds.
Rt Mitt Lace Setup:
K24, pm, k 16 (22, 28, 34) sts to BOR.
Work Rnd 1 of Lace Pattern over first 24 sts, sm, k to BOR.
Work Rnd 2 of Lace Pattern to m, sm, k to BOR.
Rt Mitt Thumb Gusset Setup:
Work Rnd 3 of Lace Pattern to m, sm (a.k.a. gusset marker),
Increases will be placed right after this marker as written: M1R, k1, M1L, place a second gusset marker to indicate end of gusset increases, k to BOR.
*The gusset grows on the palm side, just after the lace panel.
Rt Mitt Lace + Thumb Gusset Increases:
Continue working Lace Pattern while also increasing for the thumb gusset over every third rnd as follows:
Rnds 1 & 2: Work Lace Pattern over first 24 sts, k to BOR.
Rnd 3: (Inc Round): Work Lace Pattern to m, sm, M1R, k to next m, M1L, sm, k to BOR.
Rep Rnds 1 – 3 of gusset increases until you have 15 (17, 19, 21) sts between gusset markers.
You will have worked 2 (3, 4, 4) sets of lace repeats plus 5 (0, 3, 6) rnds; or 21 (24, 27, 30) total rnds of lace. You will have completed 7 (8, 9, 10) gusset increases.
Work next rnd of Lace Pattern to m, sm, place 15 (17, 19, 21) gusset sts on hold, CO 1 st over the gap, k to BOR.
Work 9 (6, 11, 8) more rnds of Lace Pattern to m, sm, k to BOR.
Work Rnd 8 of Lace Pattern to m, remove m, k to BOR.
Your mitt should have a total of 4 (4, 5, 5) total lace repeats. Add additional length here if desired.
Rt Mitt Top Cuff:
K 5 rnds.
Switch to US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles.
P 2 rnds.
*K1tbl, p1; rep from * around. Rep this rnd a total of 3 times.
BO in pattern.
Rt Mitt Thumb:
With US 3 / 3.25 mm needles.
Place 15 (17, 19, 21) thumb sts back on needle. Attach yarn, k to end of rnd, k1 CO st. (16 (18, 20, 22) sts).
K 3 rnds.
Switch to US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles.
*K1tbl, p1; rep from * around. Rep this rnd a total of 4 times.
BO loosely in pattern.
LEFT MITT
With US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles.
CO 40 (46, 52, 58) sts for sizes S (M, L, XL). Join to k in the rnd. Place BOR marker.
Lt Mitt Bottom Cuff:
*K1tbl, p1; rep from * around. Rep this rnd a total of 12 times.
P 2 rounds.
Switch to US 3 / 3.25 mm needles.
K 7 rounds.
Lt Mitt Lace Setup:
K24, pm, k 16 (22, 28, 34) sts to BOR.
Work Rnd 1 of Lace Pattern over first 24 sts, sm, k to BOR.
Work Rnd 2 of Lace Pattern to m, sm, k to BOR.
Lt Mitt Thumb Gusset Setup:
Work Rnd 3 of Lace Pattern to m, sm, k to 1 st before BOR marker, pm, then, perform the increases: M1R, k1, M1L.
*The gusset grows on the palm side, just before the end of the rnd.
Lt Mitt Lace + Thumb Gusset Increases:
Continue working Lace Pattern while also increasing for the thumb gusset over every third rnd as follows:
Rounds 1 & 2: Work the Lace Pattern over first 24 sts, k to BOR.
Round 3: (Inc Rnd): Work Lace Pattern to m, sm, k to next m, sm, M1R, k to 1 st before BOR, M1L, k1.
Rep Rnds 1 – 3 of gusset increases until you have 15 (17, 19, 21) sts between gusset markers.
You will have worked 2 (3, 4, 4) sets of lace repeats plus 5 (0, 3, 6) rnds; or 21 (24, 27, 30) total rnds of lace. You will have completed 7 (8, 9, 10) gusset increases.
Work next rnd of Lace Pattern to m, sm, place 15 (17, 19, 21) gusset sts on hold, CO 1 st over the gap, k to BOR.
Work 9 (6, 11, 8) more rnds of Lace Pattern to m, sm, k to BOR.
Work Rnd 8 of Lace Pattern to m, remove m, k to BOR.
Your mitt should have a total of 4 (4, 5, 5) total lace repeats. Add additional length here if desired.
Lt Mitt Top Cuff:
K 5 rnds.
Switch to US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles.
P 2 rnds.
*K1tbl, p1: rep from * around. Rep this rnd a total of 3 times.
BO in pattern.
Lt Mitt Thumb:
With US 3 / 3.25 mm needles.
Place 15 (17, 19, 21) thumb sts back on needle. Attach yarn, k to end of rnd, k1 CO st (16 (18, 20, 22) sts).
K 3 rnds.
Switch to US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles.
*K1tbl, p1; rep from * around. Rep this rnd 4 times.
Bind off loosely in pattern.
Finishing:
Soak mitts in warm water with mild detergent for one hour (60 minutes). Gently squeeze and roll in towel. Lay mitts flat with lace pattern facing up to ensure even shaping when drying. Clip any remaining yarn ends.
Need Some Help?
If you have any questions at all about this pattern please reach out, I’ll be happy to help.
